For many years, this three-story villa was the home of Albania’s leader Enver Hoxha. Located in Tirana, the capital city of Albania, it was surrounded by an impenetrable barrier called the Blloku. This area served as a kind of wall-less Kremlin, providing safety and security for Hoxha and his family as well as other party elites. The Blloku was sealed off by police and numerous secret agents to ensure maximum protection for its residents.
Not only did this house provide a safe haven for Hoxha and his family, but it also housed luxurious amenities that were far beyond what regular citizens had access to. After Hoxha’s assassination in 1985, his widow continued to live in the house until 1991 when the Blloku was opened to the public. The awe and wonder felt by onlookers could not be expressed when they saw the opulence inside.
The residence has since been closed off to visitors and remains a stark reminder of how life in Albania once was under communist rule and how drastically different it is today.
While it is clear that Albanian leaders lived much more simply than their counterparts in other Eastern Bloc countries, seeing first-hand how they lived compared to ordinary citizens made many realize just how privileged they were.
